Chapter 297

"Right, or it's Old Kong you had in mind." Tang Luo nodded, expressing full agreement.

"Let me analyze." Kong Ming became interested. "First, the worst-case scenario: you bring Jade Young Master back to the real world, and both of you 'disappear' on the spot."

"A somewhat better scenario is that you cannot take Jade Young Master with you, only you return to the real world, and he is not inside the Cursed House."

"The best scenario is that you can place Jade Young Master inside the Cursed House and enter and exit the mission world freely."

Tang Luo thought of something: "Speaking of this, my Cursed House previously housed a sentient female ghost, and now I've taken in another. The Cursed House originally had this containment ability—it can contain ghost-type entities, making them part of the equipment, similar to an 'artifact spirit'."

"I discussed the situation of the God-Demon Game with Gang Jin, Tang Yuhan, and others in the Cursed House, without holding back."

"But we received no punishment."

Kong Ming nodded, speculating: "You also took that cat out. Perhaps, since there's a way to bring 'living things' out into the mission world, the Gods and Demons would likely deem it compliant with the rules, so your cat could accompany you in and out of the mission world, acting together, no need to hide anymore."

"With this precedent, your attempt to take out Jade Young Master can be tried."

"With your analysis, it's practically a hundred percent certainty—let's do it!" Tang Luo said.

Kong Ming reminded: "These are just my guesses. If you succeed, it would also count as forging a entirely new path."

The God-Demon Game can be said to have no written, explicit rules; almost all rules are something everyone gradually figured out.

Tang Luo's experiment this time succeeding would also count as providing a new path.

"Also." Kong Ming said, "If you can really take out a person, that dragon, you must strictly regulate their actions in the real world—don't cause trouble."

Causing trouble in the real world leads to disappearance.

"Don't worry, the Little White Dragon is very well-behaved." Tang Luo said.

The Little White Dragon is the weakest in strength, but also the most obedient—after all, he is Tang Luo's mount.

With a fierce deity sitting on him, who would dare act recklessly? At first he tossed and turned a bit, but later became increasingly well-behaved and clever.

After all, we're all comrades who fought our way here together—one of the Four Great Irons.

"Well-behaved?" Kong Ming's cheek twitched; he didn't believe that flirtatious Jade Young Master would have such a docile nature.

He probably only acts a bit obedient in front of Tang Luo.

That's a dragon, after all.

"No wonder it's Tang Xuanzang's fate." Kong Ming said, "By the way, won't Jade Young Master turn into a white horse?"

"He will." Tang Luo said, "Otherwise, how could he be a mount? Can't I show up riding a dragon every time? Then I wouldn't even need to fish."

"……You're Tang Sanzang himself?" Kong Ming said half-jokingly, half-testing.

"Exactly, you've found me out." Tang Luo said with a smile.

……

The matter here is temporarily settled.

Tang Luo noticed Kong Ming was suspicious and guessing about something, related to him and his fate.

But Tang Luo also said nothing—he couldn't tell Kong Ming: "Say it out loud and you might not believe it, but I reincarnated before the God-Demon Game, became Tang Sanzang, then suddenly returned, and I feel the God-Demon Game is closely related to my previous reincarnation into the Journey to the West world; also, the mission world we're in now is likely part of that previous Journey to the West world."

Whether Kong Ming believes it or not, saying this would probably work him to death.

Moreover, Tang Luo himself also doubts whether the fate fragments are truly "poisonous".

Maintaining a cautious heart is also a good thing.

Outside Zhongdu, on a perilous peak.

This is where Qing Lang and Tang Luo "dueled"—although it's "I Call My Big Senior Sister to Beat You", the Dragon Abyss Dao Sect clearly has no intention of making a big deal out of things here.

The terrain here is perilous, inaccessible to ordinary people.

On the platform of the perilous peak, the cold wind bites fiercely; the true "controllers" of the Dragon Abyss Dao Sect—several Supreme Elders—are all present.

Plus the Sect Master and National Preceptor Yu Xuanzi.

At this moment he stands behind a white-clad woman, speaking softly: "Master, the time is approaching."

"Hmm." Qing Lang responded lightly; compared to a hundred years ago, her appearance can be said to have changed little, still beautiful.

But her aura is no longer that of a novice genius disciple just leaving the mountain—it is now that of a Supreme Elder with immense dignity.

Standing there silent, she overwhelms the other Supreme Elders.

Qing Lang stands at the edge of the platform, slightly raising her head to gaze at the misty clouds on the horizon, unknown what she is thinking.

"Haotian." Suddenly, Qing Lang spoke.

"Big Senior Sister!" Haotian rushed forward a step, respectfully saying, "What are your orders?"

Not long ago, he still harbored affection for Qing Lang, wishing to become her dao companion; even when she brought that monk to the Boundless Sect, he flared up, urging other disciples to cause trouble.

Originally, Haotian thought there would be an open and covert struggle centered around the Big Senior Sister.

Unexpectedly, that monk just left, leaving Haotian—who had made many preparations—punching at empty air, feeling disappointed and lost.

Thereafter, Haotian thought that with no obstacles, the two of them would inevitably become a true immortal couple.

However, Qing Lang's cultivation talent, after returning from her external training, was fully unleashed, her cultivation rising day by day, her dignity growing ever heavier.

Though her face remains as youthful and beautiful as before, everyone can no longer be as close as before; affection and admiration gradually turned into reverence.

Haotian is much the same—Qing Lang in his heart has gradually become an elder sister, an elder sister like a mother, one who must be respected and loved.

That year, the Boundless Sect fought the demon horde; Qing Lang, Big Senior Sister, turned the tide, but also left with hidden wounds, needing frequent seclusion, which made Haotian and others deeply sorrowful.

Just as sorrowful as when one's own mother falls gravely ill.

Now, when Haotian looks at Qing Lang, his eyes are filled entirely with the reverence of a junior toward an elder.

Therefore, he also feels even more displeasure toward Tang Luo.

Back then, at most he vaguely felt he was secretly seeking a green hat to force himself to wear; now the situation is different—not better, but worse.

Why it's worse, you all figure it out yourselves.

"You altered my message, privately saying you wanted to fight Xuanzang?" Qing Lang asked.

"Ah……" Haotian startled, his face flustered, "Senior Sister, I——"

"Well done." Before Hao Tian could say anything, he heard Qing Lang praise him.

"Hm?" Hao Tian froze, his tone indifferent and cold, but he was indeed praising him for doing well?

Qing Lang said faintly, "In that battle with the tree demon back then, I was provoked into a heart demon by it, and my cultivation made no progress whatsoever. Even a few days ago, I still could not truly make up my mind."

"Ah?" Hao Tian was baffled.

"Master?" Yu Xuanzi couldn't help but step forward, his face full of worry.

"There's nothing to hide anymore." Qing Lang said, "Master Xuanzang is my heart demon."

"Ah!" Hao Tian, his face turning green, felt he could only utter this one word.

Qing Lang looked at the clouds and mist: "Back then I lost to Master Xuanzang, leaving a shadow in my heart, my state of mind unstable. Later, in the battle with the tree demon, though I won I was ambushed, and that shadow gradually became my heart demon. Day and night it entangled me, and my cultivation made no progress."

"Master!" Yu Xuanzi's face was grave.

Hao Tian and the other elders also changed expression; Great Elder Qing Lang suddenly speaking of these things...

"Today's battle, either I break through my heart demon and advance my cultivation a step further. Or, I die at Master Xuanzang's hands." Qing Lang said, "If I cannot break through my heart demon and die at Master Xuanzang's hands, you absolutely must not give rise to any thoughts of revenge."

"Eldest Senior Sister!" Hao Tian's face was ferocious, "If you die, I will avenge you! Even if it means becoming enemies with Da You, it's just some Xuan Qi, so be it if I discard it. Da You can do nothing to me!"

Qing Lang turned her head to look at Hao Tian, and suddenly smiled.

Hao Tian froze; for how many years had it been since Eldest Senior Sister's smile had appeared?

Only, why did this smile seem somewhat mocking?

"My forbidding you from giving rise to thoughts of revenge," Qing Lang turned back and said, "is to keep you from going to your deaths."

"... Yes." Yu Xuanzi's voice was a bit hoarse, "Master Xuanzang's strength, this disciple has not exaggerated in the slightest."

"Even if he truly can single-handedly slaughter the Joy Bodhisattva, does that mean Eldest Senior Sister cannot?" Hao Tian was displeased, looking at Yu Xuanzi.

"Cannot." Qing Lang said, "If the Joy Bodhisattva had not entered Golden Core, there would still be a few percent chance; having entered Golden Core..."

"Eldest Senior Sister!" Hao Tian was frantic, jumping up and down; he had never thought Qing Lang actually harbored the resolve to either succeed or die trying, to place herself in a death ground to survive.

He had originally thought Yu Xuanzi had slightly exaggerated Master Xuanzang's deeds — judging by that Kong Ming's appearance, he was also a schemer; the grand momentum Yu Xuanzi and the others spoke of must have hidden circumstances.

Coupled with Qing Lang's "from childhood to adulthood" invincible bearing, Hao Tian had originally felt today would truly be "I'll have my Eldest Senior Sister beat you," a battle that was sure to be won.

"No need for more words." Qing Lang cut off everyone's persuasive words, "Cultivating the Dao is inherently an act of defying heaven, fraught with hardships and perils; without the heart of 'hearing the Dao in the morning, dying in the evening is acceptable,' what Dao does one cultivate? What immortality does one achieve!"

Finished speaking, her brow center flashed, a crystalline small sword appeared, circling her and emitting a clear, resonant sword cry.

Heavenly Crystal Flowing Frost!

The sword Qing Lang used back then, damaged by Tang Luo, still bore cracks upon its blade, yet a sharp sword intent rushed straight into the clouds, just like Qing Lang at this moment.

Hao Tian still wanted to speak, but Yu Xuanzi unexpectedly stepped forward, blocking in front of him.

Hao Tian flew into a rage, about to berate him, but met Yu Xuanzi's determined gaze.

"Forget it, forget it." Hao Tian retreated two steps, "If Eldest Senior Sister passes away, I will follow."

"Heh."

Just then, a light laugh came from the clouds overhead, "Master, I said there are plenty of people in the world more thick-skinned and self-deluded than your disciple; looks like we've run into one."

The voice was clear and resonant, yet layered and overlapping, like the sound of muffled thunder.

"Fool, this is called filial piety." Another voice rang out.

Hao Tian's whole body shook; this voice! He would absolutely never forget it. Right! That demon monk Xuanzang had arrived!

Including Qing Lang, everyone looked up toward the horizon.

At some unknown time, the originally fairly thin cloud layer had become abnormally thick; gigantic golden eyes appeared, followed by sharp twin horns piercing the heavens.

Clouds and mist scattered across the sky.

A white true dragon descended, its massive, sinuous body moving slowly around the perilous peaks, coiling.

Upon the dragon head that combined elegance and ferocity, a white-haired monk sat cross-legged, long hair fluttering, the tips seemingly burning with specks of star-fire falling into the void, his gaze landing on Qing Lang.

"Female Bodhisattva, many years no see —" Tang Luo spoke, a smile on his face.

"Pfft!"

Qing Lang violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her body swaying on the verge of collapse.

"Eh—"

Tang Luo froze, staring at whose embrace — vomiting blood, that's not right, he wouldn't have this divine ability.